When citing poems in APA (American Psychological Association) style, it’s important to follow specific guidelines to ensure accurate and consistent references. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you properly cite poems in your academic work:
In-Text Citations
For poems, APA follows a general format for in-text citations, which includes the author’s last name and the year of publication. If you are quoting directly from the poem, you also need to include the line numbers. Here’s an example:
“In the morning, the city wakes up with a yawn, stretching its concrete limbs towards the sky” (Smith, 2022, lines 1-3).
If the poem does not have line numbers (especially for older or traditional poems), you can simply cite the author and year:
As the poet writes, “The road not taken, less traveled by” (Frost, 1916).
Reference List Entry
When it comes to the reference list, the format for citing a poem depends on the source from which you accessed it. Here are the most common scenarios:
Poem from a Book
If you are citing a poem that was published in a book, the reference list entry should look like this:
Smith, J. (2022). Urban Rhythms. New York, NY: Poetry Press.
Poem from an Anthology or Collection
When citing a poem from an anthology or a collection of poems, include the poem’s title, the editor(s) of the anthology, and the page numbers where the poem appears:
Johnson, M. (2018). “Echoes of the Past.” In S. Anderson (Ed.), Voices of Time: An Anthology of Timeless Poetry (pp. 25-28). Boston, MA: Timeless Publications.
Online Poems
For poems found online, provide the author, year, title, and the website where it was published. If the poem is part of a website that has a specific title, include that as well:
Williams, A. (2021). “A Moment in Time.” Poetry Haven. Retrieved from https://poetryhaven.com/poems/a-moment-in-time
Poems from Literary Databases
If you accessed the poem from a literary database, such as JSTOR or Project Muse, include the database name and the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) in the reference:
Miller, P. (2019). “The Quiet Revolution.” Poetry Quarterly. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/456789045
Additional Considerations
Multiple Poems by the Same Author: If you are citing multiple poems by the same author published in the same year, use lowercase letters to differentiate them: (Smith, 2022a, lines 5-7) and (Smith, 2022b, lines 12-15).
Citing Long Quotations: For poems with more than 40 words, use block quotations. Begin the quotation on a new line, indent it, and maintain double spacing. No quotation marks are needed.
In the depths of the forest, a silent sentinel stands, Its branches reaching for the sky, a timeless guardian. The ancient oak, a witness to seasons, Bears the scars of battles won and lost, a symbol of resilience. (Robinson, 2021, lines 1-4)
Quoting Poems with Line Breaks
When quoting poems that rely heavily on line breaks for effect, maintain the original formatting in your document. Use a slash (/) to indicate line breaks, and ensure proper spacing:
I walked in the rain / With no umbrella to shield me, / Embracing the wetness, / Letting nature’s tears cleanse my soul. / (Walker, 2020)
Citing Poems in the Text
If you are referring to a poem in the text without directly quoting it, you can simply mention the author and the poem’s title:
The poem “A Song for the Seasons” by Williams (2022) beautifully captures the essence of change and resilience.
Final Thoughts
Citing poems in APA style allows you to give proper credit to the poets whose work you are analyzing or referencing. It ensures academic integrity and helps your readers locate the original sources. Remember to adapt the citation style based on the specific format of the poem you are citing.
